AU Serenity/Firefly RP
Serenity/Firefly RP was an RP based on the Joss Wheldon universe and was created and GM'd by Tour. It was created in May 2007. *Out of Character Thread *In Character Thread *Never Completed/Finished. The Story Think American Civil War. Think American Western frontier (i.e. Jesse James, The Oregon Trail, and some really cool cowboys). Add China’s rapidly escalating position on the world stage. And don’t forget to legalize prostitution. Now, put all that into a blender and pitch it 500 years in the future. Sounds crazy, right? But, it works. Getting into the Firefly history of the universe, the world that we know now melded and merged until, at some point, China and the United States emerged as the two main superpowers. In order to cope, survive and prosper, people from either culture had to be equally adept in the other. We don’t know if this happened gradually or very suddenly, but on the most basic level, everyone had to be able to speak both languages. The two cultures blended with melting pot intensity to be come one single culture, the human culture. However, in the true spirit of human nature, people held onto aspects of their own original religion, culture and background, seeking to retain their own uniqueness and originality. Mirroring the migration west in the American frontier, when humanity reached into or were forced into space, these were the things they took with them. (We don’t know why they left Earth, but it is rarely mentioned in the show.) As Joss Whedon has said, "the whole point of the show is that we take our culture with us. They mutate and meld and disintegrate but they’re always there." The world turned into a big melting pot. We went into the stars and took it all with us, gripping tightly to those individual things we contributed to the pot. After a time, something moved the separate colonies and worlds of humankind to begin joining together into what becomes an Alliance of worlds. It appears that this Alliance was a melding of government and corporation. "It’s Coca-Cola as the White House" is how Emily Nussbaum, a writer for the New York Times, put it. This Alliance grew and began to encompass all of the settled worlds. There were some, however, who didn’t take kindly to this notion of being under the control of the so-called Alliance. A universal civil war ensued. Those against the Alliance became known as the Independents, nicknamed the Browncoats for the colors they wore. From all evidence, the war was every bit as bloody, destructive and bitter as the American Civil War. In the end, the Alliance emerged as the victor. After the war, many of those who had fought for the Independents scattered. Just as many of the Confederate soldiers of the American Civil War did, being unwilling or unable to live under Alliance control, many of the former Browncoats moved out to the fringes of space and the freedom the frontier could provide. In the Firefly world, the Universal Civil War has been over for 6 years. Their world is one of reconstruction and has many of the same characteristics of the Reconstruction period in the American south. The Alliance government is oppressive toward the former Independents and there is bitter resentment and suspicion towards them from the people. They are the losers living in the winner’s world. Those who have chosen to live in harmony with the Alliance are looked upon with scorn by both their former comrades and the Alliance they have been forced to embrace. Those who can’t stomach living under Alliance control live hand-to-mouth on the frontier, giving up the luxury and beauty of the Alliance worlds for the low-tech, wild west existence out on the fringes. This is the path our heroes, the crew of the ship Tranquility, have chosen. A bit of History 'Earth that Was' Earth was the origin of all humanity, the common factor shared by all, Alliance and Independent alike. It is stated that Earth was "used up," but for whatever reason, mankind abandoned Earth generations ago and moved out into the stars. This must have been a profound cultural event, one that could have broken down the very essence of humanity. But, mankind held onto the tenets of culture and civilization in the exodus, carrying with it those things both material and spiritual that make us human. Following true human nature, as time passed Earth took on an almost mythical status in the culture. It is now referred to as Earth That Was and myths and stories about it have arisen. Earth That Was is not like Atlantis. Many physical artifacts have survived the time between the exodus and the present. Most, if not all, are held by private collectors and perhaps, museums. One of the largest collections of Earth That Was artifacts is held by a man named Durran Haymer at his private estate on Bellepheron. Some items in his collection include a late 20th Century telephone booth, a phonograph with 2 LP records, a model sailing ship, a grand piano, artwork and until it was stolen, one of only two Lassiters, "the original hand-held laser pistol...the forerunner of all laser technology." However or whyever Earth was abandoned, mankind possessed the technology to take the recipe with them. New worlds were terra-formed to be as close to the old Earth as possible. Planets and moons were (and still are) transformed into "hundreds of new Earths." None were a perfect copy and all carried their own little quirks, but technology and/or human spirit overcome these. These new worlds were colonized and settled, built on and built up, and true to both our history and our pioneering nature, mankind continues to reach out further and further, transforming new Earths in the image of the old. 'The Universal Civil War' The conflict began when some of the colonized planets formed the Alliance and decided that all the planets should join under their rule. Quite a few people took exception to this, especially when the so-called Alliance moved in and began dictating the hows and wherefores of their day-to-day lives. These disgruntled folks joined together and the Independents were formed. The disagreement soon turned to all-out war with men and women fighting for what they believed was their freedom from over-bearing, totalitarian rule. They believed that they were fighting the just cause. Independent thought, independent dreams, independent lives. Although the Independents may have started out as a loosely organized band of rebels, but soon they were an organized and trained fighting force. They were soon nicknamed Browncoats for the colors they wore. They suffered from a lack of resources and manpower throughout the war which, of course, contributed to their defeat. Technologically, the war was fought with every weapon available. The Independents had their own warships and gunships as well as heavy artillery and small arms. The Alliance used bioweapons, mortars, rollers (tanks), seekers (a sort-of airborne, heat-seeking grenade), and warships as well as artillery and small arms. The war was played out on many worlds, with one of the final battles taking place on the planet Hera. The Independents suffered a crushing defeat there at the Battle of Serenity Valley. Some say the war ended in that valley. The Alliance forces were simply too overwhelming. The Independents were outmanned and apparently outgunned. The Alliance emerged the victor in the war and took all of the settled worlds under its rule. The end of the war is celebrated with an official Alliance holiday known as Unification Day or U-Day. Only six short years have passed since the end of the war and bitterness and resentment still abound among the people. Some on the side of the Alliance feel that all the Independents should have been killed. And, there are still pockets of resistance to the Alliance, underground movements fighting to subvert Alliance control. Its difficult for a man or woman known to have fought on the side of the Independents to find work and many former Browncoats have moved to the fringes of space, the Border planets. A number have turned to crime in order to survive. The arms of the Alliance government also look upon the former rebels with heightened suspicion and tend to wield their power with an iron fist. The transition from war to peacetime has not been easy and reconstruction is painful and ongoing. The Union of Allied Planets (The Alliance) 'Totalitarianism in Action' Totalitarian is defined by Webster's as "a form of government or state in which the lives and actions of every individual, and every enterprise, are controlled by a dictator or dictatorial caucus." The Union of Allied Planets, more familiarly known simply as the Alliance, is a totalitarian regime. It is a dictatorial government run by bureaucratic rules and a corporate mentality. It has been described as "cabalistic" which implies secret interests and agendas. Its roots can be traced to the boardrooms of corporate America and the oppressive dictatorships of China. It could be said that it, too, is a product of the blending of Eastern and Western cultures. Physically, the Alliance is comprised of all the known settled worlds. There are Core or Central planets which are assumed to be the founding planets of the Alliance. They are prosperous, beautiful worlds with seemingly happy and hard-working citizens. They are administered and run with clock-work efficiency. The Core planets are strictly policed and offer the best in technology and amenities. Technology, however, is expensive. And the Alliance is not only in the business of government, but of industry as well. It is in their interest to keep the money close at hand. The farther you move outward from the Central planets, technology becomes harder to come by and more expensive to attain. The Border or frontier worlds are more recently settled and have little technology. Although part of the Alliance, they are largely self-governed by necessity. These worlds have little resources and the Alliance has only so much manpower to police the system. The Alliance provides settlers with supplies for basic colonization. The settlers then are expected to make their own way with what they have, to work diligently towards becoming contributing, productive members of the Alliance. In order to maintain control of its member worlds, the Alliance boasts a highly effective and strictly regimented military force and a perhaps less effective and overly organized Federal police force. The vast size of the Alliance offers protection to many worlds and yet allows corruption to take root both within and on individual worlds. It is a giant entity that has many eyes and ears. But all of the information and data flowing into it has to be collated, analyzed, decided upon and then distributed through its many arms and legs. Like most man-made bureaucracies, it is flawed in the fact that the plumbing can become clogged at any number of junctures. And like most entities of its type, it overcompensates for these flaws by creating stricter rules, laws and controls which further clog the system with bureaucratic red-tape and suffocate the people it governs. It is an inefficient system which works by the sheer size and power wielded by the Alliance. Although the Alliance is largely portrayed as oppressive and even evil in its intentions in some cases, the point can be raised that it was, in fact, an answer to a problem waiting to happen. Without the strength of an overbearing government alliance of the settled worlds, it is easy to see the potential for squabbles and even outright war being waged on many fronts between the worlds. Perhaps in time the Alliance will evolve into an entity more democratic in nature. As Shepherd Book pointed out, "a government is made up of people." The beauty of the Core planets and the numbers of people who supported Unification and the Alliance seem to be clear evidence that the Alliance government is not the evil entity sometimes portrayed. It is no coincidence that the crews refer to being "in the world" when visiting a planet or moon. Each of the worlds of the Alliance appears to be a world unto its own. Each planet is technically a member of the larger Alliance and subject to its laws and government, but the Border/frontier planets, in particular, seem largely self-governed with their own laws, customs, traditions and methods of enforcement. The Central or Core planets are embraced by the arms of Alliance control where federal resources are more plentiful and the need for self-government is unnecessary. Out on the fringes of space in the border areas, Alliance resources are thinly stretched and like the Old West of the United States, settlements must rely on their own forms of government and justice. This creates a minefield of risks for a ship such as Serenity, but also rich opportunities for crime. 'The Known Worlds of The Union of Allied Planets' *Ariel - A central planet and an Alliance world; According to Inara, Ariel has some beautiful museums and some of the finest restaurants in the core. It also has woodland areas for hiking and a bioluminescent lake for swimming. It's capital city is Ariel City where St. Lucy's Hospital is located. *Beaumonde - A civilized planet. Characterized as "a decent kind of place." It has factories that offer work in the cities or ranches that offer a rural work. New Dunsmuir is mentioned as one of the cities there. *Bellerophon - A very rich Alliance planet with both a large ocean and an empty area of desert climate, complete with canyons, rock and sand. Isis Canyon is pointed out as the most deserted spot on the world. Bellerophon is also the home of Bellerophon Estates, vast self-contained estates that float above the ocean waters, the epitome of the term “castle in the sky." Described as gracious living, ocean views and state-of-the-art security. The estates have their own local security patrols, as well as Federal (Alliance) protection. This is where Durran Haymer lives and keeps his collection of priceless Earth That Was artifacts. *Georgia System - The system where Paradiso and Hancock are located, both settlements connected by the "flying" train line. Paradiso is a mining community which is ravaged by Bowden's Malady, a degenerative affliction of the bone and muscle brought on by exposure to the air down in the mines mixed with dust from the ore processors on the world. There is an Alliance installation and/or camp in the Georgia System. *Greenleaf -A civilized Alliance planet with state-of-the-art medical facilities. Located 10 hours from Jiangyin. *Hera - Serenity Valley is located on this world. The Independence experienced a crushing defeat at the hands of the Alliance at Serenity Valley and it was perhaps the most decisive battle of the Universal Civil War. *Higgins' Moon - A moon that is host to the Canton Factory Settlement. The Factory settlement makes mud/clay that is used to make ceramic parts. Canton smells very bad. There are 2,000 workers in Canton, mostly indentured. The operation is overseen by a Magistrate who is very wealthy. *Jiangyin - Called a backwater world, Jiangyin is a border planet. The town boasts a sheriff and a host of deputies practicing Alliance frontier justice. There are posted alerts about Jiangyin which warn that "settlers up in the hills sometimes take people, tradesmen and the like." These hill settlers, who apparently do not mix with the residents of the town, are governed by a Patron and they take their Bible quite literally. It is stated that Jiangyin is 3 weeks from Persephone. *New Melbourne - An ocean world that is briefly mentioned as being everything fish or fish-related, specifically Sturgeon. Called it a layover point for almost every planet this side of the system. *Osiris - Planet is home to a well regarded medical school. *Penal Moon - Prison in the Firefly universe. It is spoken of in the singular, as if there is only one. *Persephone - A civilized frontier planet with a distinct class system and melting pot culture. *Eavesdown docks, located on Persephone, are a bustling commercial port with all the problems that come from a transient population. Persephone has been characterized as "not the kindest of places." *Kaytree Pond, also located on Persephone, could be a park-like location within the city or a nearby picturesque rural area. *Sihnon - The Core planet where thousands of young women have studied to be a Companion. It's described as "beautiful, a sea of lights." *Triumph - A world hosting the Triumph settlers as well as a certain lawless element that take advantage of the settlers. Led by Elder Gomman, the settlers have their own particular customs and traditions. Unwed women are housed in a "maiden house" until they are chosen, bought, or bartered into marriage. They are a poor settlement. Frontier justice is the norm on Triumph, hanging is the punishment for murder. About the RP Alright, well while watching Serenity I kept thinking. “Wow, this universe is so cool.” So Naturally what did I do? Get inspired to make an Rp. Now in the beginning the crew will simply focus on undertaking jobs and making a living. But they'll be a Reaver fiasco or two, and some close shaves with the Alliance, naturally. Basically, things will start off fairly basic, but in the end we'll end up on all sorts of crazy worlds and a variety of interesting predicaments. I'll be pretty open to any suggestions you guys might have for story arcs. This way we can have a greater scope of adventures. '''- Tour''' The Character Sheet *Name: *Sex: *Age: *Homeworld: *Desired Position: *Opinion of the Aliance: *Appearance: *Personality: *Equipment: The Character Positions *'Captain: '''Fredrick Summers - Tour *'First Mate: Nicolas Kaleport - Dorian *'''Navigator/Pilot: '''Benedicte Legadema & Jase (Simon Xiao Ming (萧明) Warren, to some degree) - Aneri *”The Muscle”:' Steele - Labrys *'"The Muscle":' Dwayne Hicks - Soul Scavenger *'Doctor: Ethan Kuo - Cascade *'Mechanic: '''Katrin Sezhole & Jase (Simon Xiao Ming (萧明) Warren, to some degree) - Bob Sagat *'Human Weapon(?): 'Lunecious - Ro Wong *'Spiritual Guider(?): Marcus Thai - Imenak *'Companion:' Aislin Raine - Hana Category:RPs